G.V. Shivashankar

Associate Professor
PhD The Rockefeller University, New York, USA

Mechanobiology Institute& Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore, Singapore

E-mail: dbsgvs@nus.edu.sg and shiva.gvs@gmail.com
MBI website
Curriculum vitae
Link to book

Research program: Impact of cellular geometry on genome regulation

Current lab members (Updated Sept 2011): Soumya Gupta, Venkatesan Iyer, Nikhil Jain, Abhishek Kumar, Ekta Makhija, Nimi Marcel, Shovamayee Maharana, Mallika Nagarajan, Li Qingsen, Nisha Ramdas, Shefali Talwar, 

Summary: Physical signals from the extracellular matrix impinge on cellular geometry resulting in altered functional nuclear landscape and gene function. These alterations regulate diverse biological processes including stem-cell differentiation, developmental genetic programs and cellular homeostatic control systems. How such signals are integrated to the 3D spatio-temporal organization of the cell nucleus to elicit differential gene expression patterns are poorly understood. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, combining high-resolution live-cell imaging and mechanics experiments, our laboratory investigates the biophysical principles underlying the coupling between cellular geometric cues to the nucleus and its impact on gene regulation. Understanding the mechanical control of gene function in living cells has become a central theme in modern cell biology and biophysics. In this context, our laboratory’s approach is one that of modular, than molecular, in probing design principles underlying these cellular mechanical systems impinging on gene expression. In these projects, we engage in a number of collaborations, both theoretical and experimental, to quantitatively understand the coupling between cellular geometry and genetic information control.


Publications (2010-2011):


  1. (Review) Mechanosignaling to cell nucleus and genome regulation G.V.Shivashankar, Annual Reviews of Biophysics, (2011), Vol.40, 361-378

  2. Integrin adhesion drives the emergent polarisation of active cytoskeletal stresses to pattern cell delamination C Meghana, Nisha Ramdas, Feroz Hameed, Madan Rao, G.V. Shivashankar & Maithreyi Narasimha, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences-USA (2011), 108, 9107-9112

  3. (Book) Nuclear Mechanics & Genome Regulation (2010), G.V.Shivashankar, Editor, Methods in Cell Biology series, Elsevier Press

  4. Dynamic organization of chromatin assembly & transcription factories in living cells Bidisha Sinha, Dipanjan Bhattacharya, Deepak Kumar Sinha, Shefali Talwar, Shovamayee Maharana, Soumya Gupta & G. V.Shivashankar, Methods Cell Biol. (2010) 98, 57-78

  5. Prestressed Nuclear Organization in Living Cells, Aprotim Mazumder, Roopa T., Abhishek Kumar, K.Venkatesan Iyer, Nisha M Ramdas & G. V.Shivashankar, Methods Cell Biol. (2010) 98, 221-239

  6. Emergence of prestressed eukaryotic nucleus during cellular differentiation and development Aprotim Mazumder & G.V.Shivashankar J R Soc Interface. (2010) Suppl 3:S321-30.

  7. Publications (under review/revision/submission - Fall2011):

  8. Mechanical force alters morphogenetic movements and segmental gene expression patterns during Drosophila embryogenesis Abhishek Kumar & G.V. Shivashankar

  9. Dynamic organization of transcription factories is dependent on functional nuclear architecture Shovamayee Maharana, Divya Sharma, Shi Xianke & G.V. Shivashankar

  10. Modeling and experimental methods to probe the link between global transcription and spatial organization of chromosomes K.Venkatesan Iyer, Shovamayee Maharana, Soumya Gupta, Albert Libchaber, Tsvi Tlusty & G.V. Shivashankar

  11. Stem-cell differentiation is accompanied by distinct structural transitions in chromatin compaction states. Shefali Talwar, Abhishek Kumar, Madan Rao & G.V. Shivashankar

  12. Actin dependent nuclear remodelling is essential for induction of early T-cell activation markers Nimi Marcel, Soumya Gupta, Apurva Sarin & G.V.Shivashankar

  13. Emergence of bistable DNA packaging patterns and its implications for T-cell function Soumya Gupta, Shefali Talwar, R.Indulaxmi, Lakshmi R. Perumalsamy, Apurva Sarin & G.V.Shivashankar

  14. Chromatin conformation and gene expression is dependent on structural integrity of 3D nuclear architecture Nisha Ramdas, R. Indu Lakshmi & G.V. Shivashankar

  15. Nuclear signaling impinges on cellular homeostasis via the linker histone H1.2 Megha Garg, Lakshmi R Perumalsamy, M Vijayalakshmi, Manjula Nagala, G.V.Shivashankar & Apurva Sarin

  16. Passive and active particles in the nucleus: yielding and porosity in an active amorphous solid Feroz Meeran, Madan Rao & G.V.Shivashankar

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